Confession Guide for Children

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE FOR CHILDREN 

1. Did I pay attention at Mass?
2. Have I fooled around in Church?
3. Did I say my prayers every day?
4. Did I say mean things to my mom or dad?
5. Did I always say "Thank You" to people?
6. Am I hard to get along with (during school, at Grandma´s, at home??
7. Did I do what my mom and dad told me to do? My teacher?
8. Was I lazy around the house?
9. Did I do my chores?
10. Did I hurt others people´s feelings by calling them bad names?
11. Have I started fights with my brothers and sisters at home?
12. Have I blamed other people for things I do?
13. Did I get other people into trouble?
14. Do I hit people when I get mad?
15. Have I forgiven people? Or am I holding a grudge?
16. Have I cheated or been unfair in games?
17. Did I refuse to play with someone for no good reason?
18. Was I was lazy about my schoolwork?
19. Did I fail to do my homework?
20. Did I cheat in school?
21. How many times did I lie to my parents? My teachers? My friends?
22. Did I take anything that didn´t belong to me?
23. Did I avoid medicine? Did I refuse to eat food I didn´t like?

HOW TO GO TO CONFESSION

1. You always have the option to go to confession anonymously, that is, behind a screen or face to face, if you so desire.
2. After the priest greets you in the name of Christ, make the sign of the cross. He may choose to recite a reading from Scripture, after which you say: "Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (state how long) since my last confession. These are my sins."
3. Tell your sins simply and honestly to the priest. You might even want to discuss the circumstances and the root causes of your sins and ask the priest for advice or direction.
4. Listen to the advice the priest gives you and accept the penance from him. Then make an Act of Contrition for your sins.
   
   An Act of Contrition 
   O my God,
   I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee,
   and I detest all my sins,
   because I dread the loss of heaven,
   and the pains of hell;
   but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
   Who are all good and deserving of all my love.
   I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace,
   to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
   Amen. 
    
5. The priest will then dismiss you. If he says: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. You respond: "For His mercy endures forever." The priest will then conclude with: "The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace." You respond by saying: "Thanks be to God."
6. Spend some time with Our Lord thanking and praising Him for the gift of His mercy. Try to perform your penance as soon as possible.